PARIS, FRANCE, Sunday, March 1, 2026 (WNP): The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has expressed deep alarm over the impact of escalating military hostilities in the Middle East on educational institutions, students and teaching staff, following reports of a deadly attack on a girls’ primary school in southern Iran.

In a statement issued on Sunday, UNESCO said initial information indicated that a strike on a school in the city of Minab, located in Hormozgan Province of Iran, had resulted in the deaths of more than 100 people, including a large number of students.

The organization described the killing of pupils in a place dedicated to learning as a grave breach of the protections afforded to educational institutions under international humanitarian law.

“Attacks against educational institutions endanger students and teachers and undermine the fundamental right to education,” UNESCO said, voicing concern over the growing risks faced by children and educators in conflict-affected areas.

The agency recalled that schools must be protected during armed conflicts and urged all parties involved in the hostilities to respect their legal obligations under international law.

Citing United Nations Security Council Resolution 2601 adopted in 2021, UNESCO emphasized that attacks on schools and educational facilities are strongly condemned by the international community and that parties to conflict must take all possible measures to safeguard students, teachers and school infrastructure.

The statement comes amid intensifying regional tensions that have increasingly affected civilian infrastructure across several Middle Eastern countries, raising concerns among international organizations about the protection of children and access to education during armed conflict.